Achieve the Unachievable
by A Star Named Hope
Summary: You can always hear hope, even if that is all you can hear. You can always see hope, even if that is all you can see. You can always feel hope, even if that is all you can feel. Hope is always there. It doesn't care what shade of grey you are.
1. Right Here Waiting

I was born normal. I was a happy child. And that made mother happy. And my brother happy. It made my sister happy. Even my father was happy. I wasn't supposed to get sick. It was supposed to be different. I was supposed to be one of high status, not where I am…was.

_Oceans apart day after day__  
__And I slowly go insane__  
__I hear your voice on the line__  
__but it doesn't stop the pain_

The sickness was bad. Not even the best of doctors could heal me. They said there was no hope. They said that I was to die. Father moved on to his duties. My sister moved on to whatever it was that my sister did. But my brother and mother would not give up hope. They stood by my cradle throughout each day and every night. Everyone knew it was useless. They all shook their heads sadly when they saw Mother carrying me through the halls of our home, my brother quietly walking a few steps behind her. One day I woke, crying for my mother. Mother rushed in to find that my fever had broken and the sickness was gone. There was much rejoicing and celebrating, but there was something off about me. It took my mother and everyone else to long to figure out what it was. I was deaf.

_Wherever you go, whatever you do__  
__I will be right here waiting for you__  
__whatever it takes or how my heart breaks__  
__I will be right here waiting for you_

Suddenly, I wasn't the strong daughter my father was so proud of. Nor was I the attention stealing sister _my _jealoussister was annoyed at. But my mother still loved me. And my brother was still always there for me.

The years passed, and I grew like a normal child. I played with my siblings in the light of the sun. With the help of my brother, I learned to read. Shortly after that, I learned to write. But life isn't the calm river everyone wants it to be. There will always be the currants and the rapids. There will always be the boulders and shallow waters. A few weeks after my sixth birthday, my mother died. I wasn't the only one devastated by my Mothers death. My brother was lost without our mother's guidance and support. The support that no one else could give him. He didn't know that he'd left me in the dark. He didn't know that he was hurting the one that he loved. The one that loves him. My brother never found his way back to me. At least not in the way I was hoping for.

_I took for granted all the times_

_That I thought would last somehow__  
__I hear the laughter, I taste the tears__  
__But I can't get near you now_

I was always very patient. That was one of the reasons my brother and I got along so well. He was very impatient. I was not quick to judge. I let him tell me about his problems and worries and thoughts (using our special communication system). I gave him advice and he was my best friend. My only friend. Watching him in pain was hard for me. I tried to reach out for him, but he never saw my hand. When the door closed, he was on the other side, and it was too late to save him. He would need to find the path himself. I sat and waited for him…even after he disappeared from our home.

_Wherever you go, whatever you do__  
__I will be right here waiting for you__  
__whatever it takes or how my heart breaks__  
__I will be right here waiting for you_

It was a few weeks before his thirteenth birthday. He was gone. Never at meals. Not in the courtyard. His room was cleared out. I didn't know what happened to my brother. Mother and he were the only ones who knew how to communicate with me. I was left in a world where everything was blurry and unclear. I still waited. I was never one to give up hope.

I had no way to pass time after my brother left. I wandered the halls of my home, going wherever my feet took me. One day, I discovered something that would change my life. The room looked as if no one had been in it for decades. Chairs were scattered around the room and a strange table like object stood in the middle of the room. I cautiously walked towards it. It was made of dark wood and shaped oddly, like a right triangle with a distorted third side. The structure was supported by three wooden legs, one attached to each point of its triangle-like shape. I walked closer. The shorter straight side curved in and then back out, like a ledge. In a straight row on that ledge, black and white prisms stretch from one side to the other. I reached out and pressed on one of the white ones. Nothing happened. I tried another and another. I tried black ones and the right-most one. And then I tried the left-most one. A weird feeling came over me. It was like something within me was shaking. Each day I returned to this room. And over time, I taught myself to hear, just not in the way most people hear. By feeling the vibrations, I could listen to what people were saying and understand it. Suddenly, there were so many new paths I could get lost on.

_Wherever you go, whatever you do__  
__I will be right here waiting for you__  
__whatever it takes or how my heart breaks__  
__I will be right here waiting for you_

**Anyone want to guess what the 'weird table-like structure' is? The song is 'Right Here Waiting' by Richard Marx. I didn't use the whole song, just bits and pieces of it. Felt like the song fit with what I was trying to say.**


	2. Tapestry

It was a sunny day. My sister and her friends were doing flips and stuff by our turtle-duck pound. My brother and I were sitting away from them. My brother looked upset.

_ What's wrong Brother? _I signed. We didn't use names, I didn't even know what his name was. I'd seen it on paper, but that didn't really help me.

_Nothing… _he signed back.

_ Come on. Your upset and I want to help._

_ Well…_ he glanced at our sister, his fists clenched.

_She wants to make you feel that way, you know._

_ How do you know what I'm feeling!_

_I'm your sister. I understand and know your feelings. Besides I can see it all over your face._

My brother didn't respond.

_Brother, I hardly recognize you any more. You don't talk to me as much…_

_ I have better things to do then to 'talk' to a deaf sister._

_ I'm sure you do._

My brother looked away.

_You weren't the only one hurt by Mother's death. There are people trying to help you. There are people who love you_

_ Mother died three years ago._

_ How does that have anything to do with it?_

_ I don't care about it anymore._

_ Tell you're self that if it makes you feel better._

My brother looked down at his hands.

_Mother wouldn't want you to be sad Brother. You can talk to me._

_ I'm a failure…_

_ No your not! If anyone's a failure, it's me! I mean, Father's so ashamed of me, he told everyone I died! Only the family and the servants know of my existents._

My brother got up and left.

I looked down at the grass.

(End memory)

O_o

_My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue__  
__An everlasting vision of the ever changing view_

_O_o_

Six months after my brother left, my father decided that there was no point of me staying in our home, in the fire nation at all. I had to leave. I had never been outside the walls of my house, but somehow, as I wondered around the Earth kingdom, I managed to survive.

In those last six months at home, I managed to nearly perfect my 'hearing skills'. I could understand most of what most people said, if I was standing a good spot. I might've been able to hold my own. But I still couldn't talk. That was the next problem I had to face.

_O_o_

_A wondrous woven magic in bits of blue and gold__  
__A tapestry to feel and see, impossible to hold_

_O_o_

For a while I just walked. Surly I'd come across a village of some sort eventually right? By then I'd figure out what to do about the whole 'can't really talk' thing. I wasn't really worried about water or food. I had my knives.

I was only walking for a few days before I came across a little dislocated earth kingdom town. I walked in threw the gates hesitantly. There weren't many people outside. A few tough looking men were sitting in a corner gambling or something. A frail looking man stood behind the counter of a shop. I walked up to the counter. Taking a coin from my bag, I pointed to the water basin.

He looked at me oddly, but took the money and gave me a mug of water. "Traveling by yourself?"

I nodded.

"Bit young, aren't you?"

I shrugged.

The man handed a mug of water. "Don't talk much do you?"

I shook my head.

"Hmm…"

The little town gave me the creeps, I didn't want to stay. Just as I was heading on my own merry way, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a little boy, armed with a handful of eggs. The kid skillfully aimed and threw those eggs right at the gambling men and quickly scurried away. The men were furiously wiping raw egg off their faces. They looked around trying to find the one who 'attacked' them. Of course, I was the only one in the area.

"You! Girl! What do you think you're doing, attacking soldiers like that?"

_Soldiers? Them?_ I continued walking until one of the man grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face them.

"Answer us!"

How was I supposed to do that?

"Don't waste your time on some weak little girl." The leader of the group said lazily. "She's not worth it."

I felt anger swell up within me, but I did nothing. The men eventually left me alone and went on to whatever it is they were doing. I continued walking, my pace faster. I really wanted to leave the town now, more then ever.

_O_o_

_Once amid the soft silver sadness in the sky__  
__There came a man of fortune, a drifter passing by_

_O_o_

The little boy who threw the eggs, jumped out of an alley and ran up to me.

I was startled

"Thank ya Miss."

I gave him a questioning look.

"For not turning me in!"

I shrugged.

"You looks like one of those travelin' type who're always passing through here. Need a place to stay? My Momma can give ya some food?"

I really wanted to keep moving, but the food was tempting. Very tempting. I gave in and went with the boy.

"Great! My names Lee! What's your name?"

I looked away.

"It's okay if you don't wanna tell me. I understand."

I smiled at the kid.

_O_o_

_He wore a torn and tattered cloth around his leathered hide__  
__And a coat of many colors, yellow-green on either side_

_O_o_

After a little walking, we approached a farm, full of animal life.

"Here we are!" Lee announced grinning.

A boy ran up from the house. He looked like Lee, but older. "Lee! Where were you? Who's that?"

"Sensu! This is my new friend. She helped me… 'cept she doesn't talk much… but that's okay!"

Sensu blinked. "What? Oh…okay …"

"She's staying with us for a while."

The boy shrugged and turned to his house. Lee led me to the kitchen and introduced me to his parents, who I was surprised to find, were completely happy in letting me stay. Dinner was quite good, although I don't remember what we ate. At the table, the family talked about the war. I didn't know much. My brother tried not to talk of it much when he was with me. To protect me, I guess. I didn't learn anything new, or anything I hadn't assumed. But what amazing me the most…was how much they were different from my family. They were _really_ a family. I could feel the connection between them.

_O_o_

_He moved with some uncertainty, as if he didn't know__  
__Just what he was there for, or where he ought to go_

_O_o_

After all the dishes were cleaned and put away, Sensu showed me where I would sleep. In the barn. Not exactly what I was used to, but I didn't mind.

"Sorry we couldn't give you better, it's all we have."

I looked down at my feet.

"Why don't you ever talk? Can you?"

I shrugged.

"Well…see you in the mourning… I guess. Night."

I watched as he left, looking back at me before he turned to go into his house.

I made myself comfortable on a pile of hay, but after not much time had passed, I herd talking. Curiosity got the better of me and I went to see what it was. I peaked out through the barn door to see two people out in the field. I crept closer. It was Lee and Sensu. They appeared to be fighting. I hid behind a lone fence piece, watching them closely.

_O_o_

_Once he reached for something golden hanging from a tree__  
__And his hand came down empty_

_O_o_

"Be more fierce!" Sensu whispered loudly, "you're not afraid!"

"Not Afraid!" Lee said before leaping at his brother.

"No, no, no." Sensu step-sided his brother's attack easily. "Plan it out. Be sneaky. Don't just leap…out…"

Sensu saw me. I guess my hiding spot wasn't as good as I thought it was.

"What're you doing!"

I cautiously stood up and walked into the clearing and shrugged.

He looked around, making sure no one else was hiding in the shadows. "You're not going to tell mom I've…been teaching Lee to…fight, will you."

I thought about how to answer that. All the various expressions and gestures I could use to give an answer. I settled on crossing my arms and raising my eyebrows. _You seriously think I'd 'tell' someone? Trust me, your secrets safe._

Sensu looked down at his feet. "Um…right"

Lee looked at me, eyes huge. "Do _you_ know how to fight?"

"Lee…" Sensu muttered, nudging him.

I paused. My brother taught me how to fight some. Around the time he started training with weapons. He didn't know what my sister's friend had taught, which in a way I was glad. My brother wanted to make sure I had a fighting chance in the world. It didn't mean I was any good though. I nodded anyway.

_O_o_

_Soon within my tapestry along the rutted road__  
__He sat down on a river rock and turned into a toad__  
O_o_

"Really! How good are ya?"

I shrugged.

"Maybe you could try fighting Sensu. We could see how good ya really are."

"Err…um…maybe that's not the best idea Lee."

"Come on! It'll be cool!"

They both looked at me.

I shrugged (my favorite response) and stepped into my ready stance. Sensu sighed and did the same.

Lee stood over by the fence, a grin stretched across his face.

I watched carefully. Sensu jumped, but I easily moved out of the way. He threw a punch at my face, but I avoided that too. After a few minutes of failed attempts, Sensu decided to stop going easy on me. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated. The fight went on for a while longer. I even threw a few punches of my own. But then something weird happened. I lost my balance. But I was surprised. I wasn't expecting to fall. I unintentionally made some sort of sound in the back of my throat. Like a gasp or something. I didn't understand it. I felt the vibrations…inside of me. It was a feeling I'd never experienced before. I fell to the ground and froze in shock. Sensu and Lee rushed over to me.

_O_o_

_It seemed that he had fallen into someone's wicked spell__  
__And I wept to see him suffer, though I didn't know him well_

_O_o_

"Are you alright?" Sensu asked.

_Shh! leave me alone! I'm trying to think! This could be an amazing breakthrough!_

I jumped to my feet and nodded.

"I think we should call it a night." He decided. I shrugged.

I didn't really sleep. I practiced. I made sounds in the back of my throat. I adjusted the vibrations. I rearranged the sounds in my mouths. I felt confident. I was ready. The mourning came. I ate Breakfast with Lee's family. Lee, Sensu, and their father went off to do some work. I helped their mother clean the kitchen. I hummed quietly to make sure I had the right sound.

"Thank you…" I said, shakily the words felt loud. The vibrations echoed through me, making me shudder.

Lee's mother, who I learned was named Sela, nearly dropped the plate she was holding and turned to stare at me.

"For…All this." I felt more confident. "You've…no idea...how much it…means to me…"

After Sela recovered from the shock of hearing me speak, she smiled and pulled me into a hug. "Those in need of assistance are _always _welcome here. It's my honor to have you in my house."

I nearly cried in joy.

_O_o_

_As I watched in sorrow, there suddenly appeared__  
__A figure gray and ghostly beneath a flowing beard_

_O_o_

I had only been planning to stay with Lee's family for a day. Or less if I could. But a day turned to a week, and a week to a month. And before I knew it, a year had passed. I was now ten. I felt like a new person, although I hadn't really changed at all. I was now called Em-ae. I didn't know what it meant, but I like the way it felt. Lee, Sensu, Sela, and Gansu were my family, although they never quite filled the gap in my heart where my mother and my brother used to be. They still didn't know who I was, where I was from. If only it had stayed that way. If only Sensu hadn't run of to help in the war. If only he hadn't told me that I was more then a sister to him. And while we're on the subject, if only my brother never left. If only mother hadn't died. If only I wasn't deaf. Everything would've been different, better. If only.

_O_o_

_In times of deepest darkness, I've seen him dressed in black__  
__Now my tapestry's unraveling, he's come to take me back__  
__He's came to take me back_

_O_o_


End file.
